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Under 200k priced starter homes under 1,000 square feet are still available all over the place in every decent sized metro area in the USA (except in a handful of very expensive metro areas), except these days they're called condos.
Also there aren't many condos being built now due to construction financing difficulties. Even now, projects that were planned as condos are still being converted to apartments.
This totally depends on where you are. This is not the case at all where I live. We also don't have tons of condos. Several new projects include condos and townhouses. Most of them are in 55 and over neighborhoods. One is having an assisted living facility built into it.
There's also not an abundance of apartments where I live either. I do know of several other projects in other parts of my state where the condos they built as senior units didn't sell.....they were seriously overpriced. They even have a hard time renting them now because they're soooooo expensive. The units themselves were also NOT designed for older folks.
My grandmother rents a standard unit without upgrades. Her kitchen is really a kitchenette. Her cabinets go all the way to the ceiling. She is in her 80's and can't climb a step stool to use them. Brilliant idea! Sure lots of storage for giants who can reach it.
There's a dining "area". You can't have more than 2 people sit at it or else you can't walk from the kitchen to the living room. The living room is only wide enough to have a loveseat and a small chair. There's no sofa made that will allow for people to walk through the room! The place has 2 bedrooms and 2 full baths. One bath has a shower which is great. The other one has a regular bathroom. Yes, the elderly want regular bathtubs! The bedrooms aren't very large and don't have much space once you place a full or queen bed in them. These units are VERY small. And the price for that area was far too high.
Parking is all outdoors. This is snow country! Yes, let's have the elderly walking around in a snowy, icy parking lot.
There's also a balcony for each unit. It's large enough for a chair maybe 2. That's it.
No idea why these are 2 bedroom units and how 2 adults would deal with being squeezed in all the time. If one has a wheelchair, walker, or cane, it is a tricky maze to navigate through.
There's a community room and a few monthly events, but it's very clicky....like high school. With these tiny kitchenettes, one would have thought there was a dining facility, but there isn't. These units are VERY poorly designed. They were truly NOT designed, planned, or laid out for the elderly.
Oh and the monthly HOA dues and the taxes....holy crap the freaking taxes! The seniors in that town are FAR better off staying in their homes that are paid for! The units started at $400K. I know in some parts of the country that's cheap. $400K there will get you in the best school district in the region, 3000 sq ft, 3-5 bedrooms, 2-3 car garage, a brand new house on a 1/4 or larger lot. Why on earth would you pay the same price for a unit that is 1000 square feet, has an elevator that doesn't always work, has not enclosed parking, and pay $350 a month in HOA fees plus taxes....the taxes are over $10K a year!? Sure sounds like a dream for nobody.
And they wonder why they couldn't sell the units. Then they moved on to renting the units for $2500 a month. That didn't fly so over time they're lowered them to $1500 a month. They still can't rent them. Many of the older folks in that town live in ranches, raised ranches, split levels, and capes built in the 50's, 60's, and 70's. Nothing that they have to move out of because they have a hard time with stairs. Oh and the leases all include a clause that the units must be show ready at any time. And if your unit sells, you have 30 days to move out of the building....not even to another unit. Gee why aren't the elderly flocking to places like this??
They build to suit the demand, and price at what the local market can bear, after land and construction cost to maximize profits. Our newest development underway nearby is 140 homes. They start at $849,000, and are 5-6 bedrooms, 4,000 sf and up. A 5,000 sf vacant lot here would go for over $200k. Less than 50 miles away, in places with few jobs, less desirable schools, and more crime, you can buy new homes for under $300k.
So you are describing 2-story homes crowded one on top of the other. Ugh.
Housing in the USA is optimized for the land developer, the builder, the mortgage lender and the realtors. The actual occupants of the housing are an afterthought. You'll note that in that list, nobody really makes enough money on building or selling inexpensive starter home to make it worthwhile.
This totally depends on where you are. This is not the case at all where I live. We also don't have tons of condos. Several new projects include condos and townhouses. Most of them are in 55 and over neighborhoods. One is having an assisted living facility built into it.
There's also not an abundance of apartments where I live either. I do know of several other projects in other parts of my state where the condos they built as senior units didn't sell.....they were seriously overpriced. They even have a hard time renting them now because they're soooooo expensive. The units themselves were also NOT designed for older folks.
My grandmother rents a standard unit without upgrades. Her kitchen is really a kitchenette. Her cabinets go all the way to the ceiling. She is in her 80's and can't climb a step stool to use them. Brilliant idea! Sure lots of storage for giants who can reach it.
There's a dining "area". You can't have more than 2 people sit at it or else you can't walk from the kitchen to the living room. The living room is only wide enough to have a loveseat and a small chair. There's no sofa made that will allow for people to walk through the room! The place has 2 bedrooms and 2 full baths. One bath has a shower which is great. The other one has a regular bathroom. Yes, the elderly want regular bathtubs! The bedrooms aren't very large and don't have much space once you place a full or queen bed in them. These units are VERY small. And the price for that area was far too high.
Parking is all outdoors. This is snow country! Yes, let's have the elderly walking around in a snowy, icy parking lot.
There's also a balcony for each unit. It's large enough for a chair maybe 2. That's it.
No idea why these are 2 bedroom units and how 2 adults would deal with being squeezed in all the time. If one has a wheelchair, walker, or cane, it is a tricky maze to navigate through.
There's a community room and a few monthly events, but it's very clicky....like high school. With these tiny kitchenettes, one would have thought there was a dining facility, but there isn't. These units are VERY poorly designed. They were truly NOT designed, planned, or laid out for the elderly.
Oh and the monthly HOA dues and the taxes....holy crap the freaking taxes! The seniors in that town are FAR better off staying in their homes that are paid for! The units started at $400K. I know in some parts of the country that's cheap. $400K there will get you in the best school district in the region, 3000 sq ft, 3-5 bedrooms, 2-3 car garage, a brand new house on a 1/4 or larger lot. Why on earth would you pay the same price for a unit that is 1000 square feet, has an elevator that doesn't always work, has not enclosed parking, and pay $350 a month in HOA fees plus taxes....the taxes are over $10K a year!? Sure sounds like a dream for nobody.
And they wonder why they couldn't sell the units. Then they moved on to renting the units for $2500 a month. That didn't fly so over time they're lowered them to $1500 a month. They still can't rent them. Many of the older folks in that town live in ranches, raised ranches, split levels, and capes built in the 50's, 60's, and 70's. Nothing that they have to move out of because they have a hard time with stairs. Oh and the leases all include a clause that the units must be show ready at any time. And if your unit sells, you have 30 days to move out of the building....not even to another unit. Gee why aren't the elderly flocking to places like this??
where are these units? I own a condo I rent out and it is same thing. My unit is 1,200 square feet. Five steps first floor, then a full stair case to second floor. Then you get a ladder out go through a hole in closet ceiling to store stuff in attic. We have folks in their 80s living there. And outdoor parking and supermarket is not walking distance. Maint is $500 a month and no amenities.
The screwed up part we are always suing folks and dealing with arrears. Maint should be 350 a month but we have to charge 500.
My building even created garden level units, ranch style with like four steps down. Every burst pile, busted water heater etc floods these units.
Maybe the best "starter homes" are those in the older but still beautiful mobile home parks. Those for seniors here in FL are lovely. A nice unit can be found for under $20,000.
There are nice MH parks all over FL and not all are for 55+ folks.
I know some of these places can be dreadful but those are easily avoided.
Mostly new built homes are from mid range to expensive.
Also why builders are not confident??
They are building in very small numbers.
By starter home i'm roughly talking about $130K - $200K range
The whole concept of "starter homes," i.e. always needing a bigger one to "succeed" is the real problem, as is the construction industry always having to develop more land to keep people employed.
People need to look up the word finite and truly understand its meaning. Few bother.
Location: When you take flak it means you are on target
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Another issue is the cost of construction. It used to be $100 a sq foot built a nice house. Now it's $200-300 plus. So your basic 2,500 sq ft house costs $300-600K to build - add a lot for $100-200K and now you have to upgrade everything - granite, outdoor kitchen, steam showers, on and on, and that adds another $100. So now your basic house costs $800K to build and sells for 1.2 million.
The guy building a $125K house that costs 80K in materials on a $25K lot isn't making any money.
where are these units? I own a condo I rent out and it is same thing. My unit is 1,200 square feet. Five steps first floor, then a full stair case to second floor. Then you get a ladder out go through a hole in closet ceiling to store stuff in attic. We have folks in their 80s living there. And outdoor parking and supermarket is not walking distance. Maint is $500 a month and no amenities.
The screwed up part we are always suing folks and dealing with arrears. Maint should be 350 a month but we have to charge 500.
My building even created garden level units, ranch style with like four steps down. Every burst pile, busted water heater etc floods these units.
That building is in Upstate New York. I forgot that there were stairs to enter the building! You have to walk up 4 or 5 steps to get up to the level with the elevator. Again, not senior friendly. There aren't any first floor units because it's filled with the common area, maintenance storage, and staff offices.
Amazing how POORLY designed this place is for seniors! If an architect designed this, they should be ashamed of themselves. Clearly, they have no business designing senior housing. We're not talking rocket science. Most of these things are common sense. Who wants an 80 year old climbing a ton of steps? That's just stupid.
"the code adoption is expected to increase the construction cost of a new home by about 3 percent. However, that cost should be offset by annual energy savings."
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The bedrooms aren't very large and don't have much space once you place a full or queen bed in them. These units are VERY small. And the price for that area was far too high. 
Another reason
